Louis Barfe is now “One of the Above”

11 May 2010

When Lowestoft-based writer Louis Barfe stood as an independent 'none of
the above' candidate for Waveney in last week's General Election, he
did not expect a cycle ride from Beccles to Bungay to be his
political road to Damascus. However, while the other candidates drove
to a hustings event at the Fisher Theatre, Barfe joined Green
candidate Graham Elliott in pedalling there, and realised how close
the Green Party were to his own outlook.

"I was standing in the election out of anger and disillusionment with
the mainstream parties," Barfe explains. "In particular, I was
disillusioned with Labour, having resigned as a member 13 years ago,
when university tuition fees were introduced. However, as I prepared
for the hustings, I read all of my opponents' manifestos in full and
found myself agreeing with a lot of what the Greens were offering.
Talking to Graham as we cycled, then meeting other Waveney Green
Party activists, I realised that here were policies and people that I
could support. I was committed to seeing my own campaign through to
the bitter end, but I joined the Party online as soon as I got home
after the count. After years of being a terrible old cynic, it's a
delight to believe in something again."

Graham
Elliott, the Green Party parliamentary candidate for Waveney said,
"We welcome Louis Barfe into the Green Party and appreciate his
honesty in saying that he has found a a home in ‘One
of the Above'.
If more people had found the time to meet their candidates, read
their manifestos and listen to them debate policies and local issues
the result may have been very different!"